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European Union leaders voiced caution Thursday about the chances of clinching a deal with Turkey to curb the migration crisis, warning of a long list of difficult issues to overcome.Video provided by AFP Newslook
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, second right, walks into a round table meeting with European Council President Donald Tusk, center, and Luxembourg's Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, left, during an EU summit in Brussels on Thursday, March 17, 2016.(Photo: Geert Vanden Wijngaert, AP)
The European Union is<span style="color: Red;">*</span>presenting a proposal<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to Turkey on Friday<span style="color: Red;">*</span>in an attempt to halt<span style="color: Red;">*</span>the flow of<span style="color: Red;">*</span>migrants to the continent,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Luxembourg's Prime Minister said.
The leaders began a two-day meeting in Brussels on Thursday and are scheduled to announce the outcome<span style="color: Red;">*</span>on Friday.
Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel tweeted Thursday that the leaders had agreed on a position which European Union<span style="color: Red;">*</span>President Donald Tusk will present to Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.<span style="color: Red;">*</span>If he objects, the leaders will meet again to reconsider their position.
Speaking as he arrived for the talks Friday,<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Davutoglu said<span style="color: Red;">*</span>“for Turkey, the refugee issue is not an issue of bargaining, but an issue of values.”
The proposal<span style="color: Red;">*</span>would<span style="color: Red;">*</span>see migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey sent back to that country. Many migrants have arrived on the Greek islands by boat after fleeing conflict in Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Bettel‘s announcement came after EU leaders were assured the draft deal would not result in mass deportations, and Turkey would gain certain measures it wants in exchange for its help.
Under the proposal, the 28-nation EU would pay to send<span style="color: Red;">*</span>migrants coming to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Greece who don’t qualify for asylum back to Turkey. For every migrant returned, the EU will accept one Syrian refugee. The Syrians<span style="color: Red;">*</span>will be distributed among member<span style="color: Red;">*</span>states.
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In exchange, Turkey has<span style="color: Red;">*</span>said it wanted<span style="color: Red;">*</span>its long-stalled application to join the EU<span style="color: Red;">*</span>to be accelerated, passport-free travel to the EU for its citizens as early as this summer and new diplomatic efforts to be made over<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Cyprus, an island divided between its Greek and Turkish inhabitants since 1974 following a coup that was supported by Greece.
Turkey is also seeking billions in aid on top of the $3.3 billion already pledged by the EU.
More than a million people came to<span style="color: Red;">*</span>Europe<span style="color: Red;">*</span>last year and more than 130,000<span style="color: Red;">*</span>have arrived on the continent so far in 2016.
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